An associate priest at St Mary’s Church in Hinckley has died at the age of 69.

Ordained in 2006 after previously serving as a lay reader, Reverend Jane Gibbs was instrumental in making the church building the open and very much used day-to-day place of worship that people recognise today.

Vicar of Hinckley, the Reverend John Whittaker, who became minister at St Mary’s five years ago, said: “If you think of how St Mary’s is today, its reputation in the town because of its openness, Jane has been probably the single biggest part of that story for the past 20 years.”

Until her illness, Rev Gibbs was known for being in church daily, offering support to people with all kinds of needs, and doing it all without payment in her non-stipendiary role.

The last service she led was a midnight communion on Christmas Eve.

She died of cancer in Loros on Sunday morning, leaving her husband John, daughters Anna and Fiona and grandchildren Harriet, Noah and Devon.

The former vicar of Hinckley, the Reverend Canon Brian Davis, with whom she served, was among her final visitors.

Her husband John said: “Jane had three main parts to her life - the church, movie-making and her family.”

Many tributes have come from around the country from amateur movie-makers who knew the couple through their involvement with Nuneaton Movie Makers club and IAC - the Film and Video Institute.

Rev Whittaker said: “Jane faced her ending without fear and, alongside her sadness at her life ending, anticipated with joy being with her Lord whom she has served so faithfully.”